Rembrant

I've been using a 243 for coues deer for about a decade. Carries well, shoots easy, and knocks down everything it hits. I named her "Sweetness". With 85 grainers, it's flatter shooting than the 7 mag. Yep, I worry a little about wind, but that hasn't goofed me up yet. Got a bi-pod that I don't shoot off of unless I have to (rocks don't wobble). I use the bi-pod for setting the rifle down countless times in rugged country. Killed 4 bucks at 400 yds or better - with a 4x scope. This is as much confession as brag. Can't even see the deer behind the crosshairs, yet this is a good illustration of the tremendous accuracy of ol' "Sweetness". Keep her zeroed at 300. She kills deer at close ranges too! Broke down and bought her a 3x12 Luepold last year and then didn't get drawn. Am really lookin' forward to seeing the new regs. And besides that, I'm really lookin' forward to seeing the new regs. Mike

Looks to me like 4 bucks. The two 'buster' bucks are in the back. Awesome pic! The finest art is found in nature. If an artist concieved of, and painted that image, it would fall into the catagory of 'not believable'. Thanks for the post. Mike

Got a spot near Flagtown that I started salting about 12 years ago in he hopes of attracting whitetails. All I have ever seen is mulies. Could have killed a handful over the years with a bow but would rather kill a whitetail every year. I like what TAM said about the long term salt. I think there are some mule deer that have lived out their entire life knowing where my salt sett-up was. I haven't done anything fancy here. I take a half a block of white or half a block of the $6.00 mineral lick up there once or twice a year. If the salt disappears, there is enough soaked into the ground till I get some more out there. I haven't even hunted it for about 5 years but I keep it going just for fun. Plus it has probably helped these local deer through the drought. I have other licks employing a lot of the various mentioned methods in this string. I keep trying different things in better locations for whitetail. But again, like TAM says, the bottom line is salt works - elaborate or not. Where the rubber meets the road on hunting salt licks is how well you can keep your butt in a tree to wait out an encounter with a shooter. Mike

Tree Stand Man, you are blessed with a wonderful hunting area. I hope I can find a place like that as I get older and less likely to be carrying 60 lbs over mountains ( and that time is coming soon!) Mike

Had a guy at a feed store tell me once that the animals prefer the mineral licks in drought years and the white salt in years with good moisture. I was told this about 10 years ago, and while throwing out salt over the years with this in mind, I think he is right. ...just something else to think about. Mike

AFB, Psalm 34:11 is good, yet I meant to give you 34:7. Mike

AFB, You are covered in prayer. Psalm 34:11 Mike

Depends on where you are hunting I suppose. I know in the case of land where access has been denied by a rancher, backpacking solves the delima. Then when you do the work and find yourself a mile or two, or a canyon or mountain away from the roads (and you don't have to go back for several days), things can get real interesting. But it ain't for everybody. Mike

Yeah what Stanley said. I think that all you folks that like hunting next to roads should keep doing it. Mike

I always buy a lion tag. Have seen only 2 in my life - briefly. One was in unit 10 during an elk hunt. Was driving down a dirt road and noticed 3 sheep (domestic). While looking at this odd sight, I noticed some movement 15 yds. behind the sheep. Was reaching for my rifle in an effort to get out and blast a 'coyote' when I realized what I was looking at was no coyote! Wasn't fast enough! Saw the other while assisting some folks glass for deer in a 24A youth hunt. Spotted a lion at about 700 yds. Jumped up with excitement to get the other glassers on him so's I could run up the hill and get him. Couldn't re-find him!! I'm gonna take a walk in the Verde area today. I always take my glasses, lion tag, hand gun and heeler mix that chases everything. Maybe someday..... Mike

Just a matter of maturity. I know more than a couple of gents who have walls full of trophy animals who still spend major time hunting and very little time killing. While hunting with one of my older brothers in 6A a couple of years ago, I watched him pass on a high 80's buck on the last day. This man has a physical disability that does not prevent him from out walking even the best of us. His rifle was raised, I had the buck in my glasses - waiting for the shot - and he didn't shoot. I said, "Guess you don't have a need to kill a fine coues buck today?" He replies, "That's the part I don't like." There was a pause, and then I asked, "Matt, what part would that be?" He says, "The killin part. I won't kill a deer any more unless his antlers really do something for me - their just too beautiful." This guy used to tell me, "They won't fall down if you don't shoot at 'em." and "Shoot 'em and wound 'em and shoot 'em again!" This man has matured. The first time I witnessed a thing like this was when my Jr High biology teacher who was in his 50's tried to explain to me the mixed emotions he experiences when he takes the life of a trophy animal. He says he weeps. This guy has multiple book entries, rifle and bow. And still hunts. I'm calling this maturity. Too bad it takes a lot of us bone heads most of our lives to learn true reverence for the awesome creation we've been blessed with. It seems that a lot of us need to get older and face our own mortality before we are able to understand this. Mike

How 'bout this thoery: Historically when deer populations boom, the lion populations boom with them. When the deer populations bust, the lion numbers would go down as well - given that a deer is the lions prefered food. (Ecology 101). Now days when the mule deer and whitetails are doing well, the lion numbers are strong also. And when the deer population takes a nose dive, the big cats are gonna suffer too, right? WRONG! Why not? 'Cause when a modern lion can't find a deer to eat, he can eat cattle - an animal that wasn't here historically. The cats can also eat elk that have expanded their range to virtually everywhere there is appropriate grass and shade. If that isn't enough, the javelina has also greatly expanded its range over the last century. Today's mountain lion has a whole bunch of boom and no bust! Even if we get a lot of rainy years on end, our deer will still have this heavy paw on their rebounding efforts, because a deer IS a lion's prefered food. Too bad John Q. (Disney watching) Public thinks that the mountain is a rare animal that needs our protection. Mike

If the Govenor has the court disallow the thinning of mountain lions where it is perceived to be a problem, then the Govenor should be held liable when someone gets hurt. Couple of years ago when lions were attacking dogs that were accompanied by their human masters on a hiking trail in Flagstaff, the Game Dept. did the right thing by killing a couple of the lions. There was a group of people that objected and later gathered to give the lions a memorial service (REALLY). Yep, they burned sage to help 'release' the lion's spirits. One woman was quoted as saying that she thought it would be an honor to die in the grip of such a beautiful animal - rather than to see them killed in such an inhumane way. It's too bad that the few people that base their lives on HOOOEY are allowed to have any political power at all. This is another growing problem in our country that could use some stifeling. Mike

Every few years I get close to stepping on a rattleworm. This happened one November while searching out a whitetail spot in 6A. This really goofs me up - for days! I quit looking for deer while I'm walking and only look for snakes. It takes a buch of rationalization to convince myself that it's a "once every few years" kind of a thing. From what I've heard, getting bit is nasty and expensive, can leave permenant damage or death. One buddy of mine was crawling up on an anteope in 21 when he realized that his face was in striking distance of a big diamondback. Had a stand off for over an hour before the snake gave him a break. My friend crawled off the other way to safety and threw up. Got a lot of snake stories. I'm sure a lot of us ('specially Arizona boys) do. Ain't life grand? Ernesto, your story takes the cake. I'm glad that you know where the ultimate protection is! Mike

Welcome Allen, I like your discernment. I quit looking at the other forums. I gotta get really bored to go there and haven't done that in a while. But I like checking in on this one daily - might miss something! I live in Flagstaff. I love the mountains all around Tonto Basin, and usually hunt the Gallueros on a second choice. I'm always lookin for the whitetail pockets around home too - for antlers and fun. Mike

Thanks for the continued research, Chris. Please be sure to list your references. Mike

Coues addict is right on the money. My wife figured out years ago that all of the 'game' taste is in the fat and the connecting tissue; tendons etc. Trim off everything that isn't red meat, and all you'll have left is yummy. I can't remember what publication it was, and it was a very long time ago, but I read an unusual article about the game taste in wild meat. The guy was talking about taking the tarsal gland off the leg and rubbing down the carcass with it to 'enhance' the meat with this natural and unique flavor. At first I thought the guy was some kind of comedian, but after reading through the entire article I realized he was serious! I like it the way my wife prepares it. Mike

Could be. My guess is that she was done or a bigger buck would be tending her. I have seen spikes chasing does all over the hillsides - in December. I'm thinking that the main rut/estrus cycles have just recently occured and that there will be some other does running a late cycle - demonstrated by the big bodied buck scent trailing the doe. Could be a lot of additional 'buck crazyness' right now 'cause of the recent sex fest, and now the current lack of receptive does. Again, I'm guessing 'cause I ain't been out for a week and I can't go again. Plus... I read too much. Mike

Last Sat - the 17th, I watched from a tree stand at 7000' a healthy big bodied 4 point (including eye guards), scent trailing a lone doe. On the 19th from the same stand, A doe, fawn and spiker came in to close range. She peed, he checked it out, but he wasn't making a neusance of himself as young bucks do when they are turned on. What's this mean? Beats me. Don't know enough about it yet. My guess is that the breeding activity is winding down. The higher country has fewer deer and this makes it harder to read. The country I was hunting had a lot of tracks in the snow - very encouraging - but the deer weren't rootin up my tree by walking around it. Sure is fun though! Mike

Got to spend three days in a tree. Saw a big bodied buck doing a walk by, out about 70 yds. He was trailing a doe - even though he could see the doe, he would keep his nose on the ground and scent trail her. His neck was real thick. This buck had lost all the daintyness that the Coues' posses. This was a big buck. I did catch a glimpse of one side of his rack. He was a four point (Amanda count), and was not the same 90 classer that I saw before because his front was not crabby. I bleated a couple of times and he ignored me and continued after his doe. The next day I sat in my tree for 9 hours and saw no deer. The next day a doe, fawn, and 3" spike came in and cockroached around at the bottom of my tree. That's it. Don't know if I'm gonna get to go back. Spent 9 days in the same tree. Four days were deerless. Saw bucks on 3 days. All together saw 13 does and 6 bucks. The bucks included: 1 spike @ 10yds; 1 forker - sighted on way in;1 - 10-12" big forker with the G-2's broke off @ 17 yds; 1 - 80" 4x, walk by @ 60yds; 1 - 90" 4x @ 20yds (couldn't get him kilt!); and the big bodied buck doing a walk by @ 70 yds. Every deer except 1 was sighted in the morning before noon. I learned a ton. I feel very confident that I will one day arrow a big Coues buck. May take a few years, but it will happen. Mike

Amanda, Congrats on killing that deer, and another congrats on getting those lion pics. Those are trophys in themselves. Looks like you had a great time on the Res. Thanks for taking the time to tell the story and post the pics. Awesome! Mike

MoreD, Sorry to here about the loss of your grandmother. Thanks for being the family man - a real man - and taking care of your family. Mike

Mattman, Gotta throw in my congrats. I am greatly appreciative of that accomplishment! Mike

Josh, Good try, great story. Thanks again for puttin in the effort on searching for that deer. Looks like you will be blessed with a BIGGER deer! I like them piney spots. Ain't nobody gonna glass up and rifle down these elusive "bug in a rug" bucks 'lessen they screw up and step out on the fringe - at the wrong time. I'm gonna go for 4 days this Thurs - Sun. Gonna do a lot of sittin and thinkin 'bout life.... and big bucks. Mike

Thanks for putting in the effort to find that deer, Josh. If you can't find him, he is probably alive and will recover. It seems there may be an area below the spine and above the lungs where little damage occurs. This is really strange - But I've seen it before. I understand the getting excited part. Josh, you're the man! Good job on getting a shot. The ratteling story is really encouraging me. Hunting Coues deer with a bow and getting shots is like an impossible dream, yet you keep engaging with these deer. MAN, I GOT TO GET OUT THERE!!!! Thanks for keeping us informed. Mike